The Monroe County Zoning Board of Appeals approved a special use exception for a “grain bin” bed and breakfast at its meeting last Wednesday night.

The request was granted to Waterloo Zoning Administrator Nathan Krebel and his wife Molly, who appeared at the meeting along with several family members and others who supported their efforts.

The Krebels plan to begin work on a furnished grain bin on their property near Maeystown Road.

They will live in the structure during construction of their planned home, also on the property. The structure will later be rented out by the Krebels as a bed and breakfast.

Krebel said he and his wife got the idea after staying at a grain bin AirBNB house last fall in Bonne Terre, Mo., and having a positive experience.

“We had such a great weekend experiencing the natural beauty and the small businesses in the area that it left a memorable impression on us,” Krebel said. “We may never have visited the area if it was not for the ‘grain bin’ AirBNB.”

Krebel described the couple’s 22.5-acre property as a “beautiful natural setting,” saying they would like to offer the same opportunity for others to experience Monroe County like they experienced in Missouri.

Concerns about the special use exception were largely targeted at the couple’s plans and the security of a bed and breakfast on the property.

The zoning board questioned the Krebels’ decision to request the exception before their house or grain bin were even started.

Krebel explained that the two plan to build their home in the future – hopefully after costs go down significantly.

The board also asked about the family keeping renters on the property. Krebel responded that renters would be vetted and the power lines, row crops and fences along each side of the property would indicate how far visitors could explore before stumbling onto neighboring properties.

While several of the Krebels’ neighbors expressed support for the family and their plans, either speaking at the meeting or writing in letters, neighboring property owner Gary Gregson vocalized some of the concerns the board asked about.

Gregson – who Krebel explained previously allowed an easement for them on his property – said the Krebels’ plan to wait for costs for their house to go down was questionable and unfair to the board to use as an explanation for their request.

“Two years ago, Nathan, nobody would’ve ever known what we were gonna see today,” Gregson said, “so how do you know in two years from know what we’re gonna see?”

He also said the Krebels simply wouldn’t be able to know who they’re inviting onto the property and whether they will wander off or cause trouble on neighboring properties.

Ultimately, the board conditionally approved the special use exception, giving the Krebels a deadline of Dec. 31, 2025, to begin operating the grain bin as a planned bed and breakfast.

In the days after the meeting, Krebel expressed his gratitude toward the board and all those who expressed support for him and his wife.

“We also want to thank the members of the board of appeals for keeping an open mind on this special use exception and we respect and appreciate all our neighbors and can’t wait to start the project and hopefully be open sometime in 2024,” Krebel said.

The other major topic of discussion at this meeting was Parallel Towers III appealing a decision of the county zoning administrator to deny a building permit for an AT&T cell tower at 129 Hayden Drive, Columbia.

Representatives of Parallel Towers and AT&T spoke at the meeting, saying the tower was allowed per Illinois statute.

This matter was ultimately tabled and is planned for discussion at a future meeting after the representatives provide a lease for the tower and other relevant documents.